Location and classification
Johannisberg is the single vineyard Laubenheimer Johannisberg in the Mainz district of Laubenheim. It lies within the Nierstein area and belongs to the Großlage of Sankt Alban. Located above Mainz-Laubenheim, the wine-growing site offers a view over the Rhine and the Hessian Ried. Regionally, it is classified as Rheinhessen.
Soils
Löss over pararendzina and calcareous loam have been documented, the latter being classified as Terra fusca. The löss-pararendzina soil is calcareous, deep, fertile, well-rooting and can store plant-available water. The calcareous loam, or Terra fusca, is medium to deep, stony and calcareous. It formed from weathered Tertiary marine deposits in connection with a calcareous algal reef.
Grape varieties and wine style
Grey Pinot and Pinot Blanc have been documented for Laubenheimer Johannisberg. The löss-pararendzina parcels are associated with wines with yellow fruit and notes of apple, peach, pear and citrus, a gentle acidity and medium to powerful structure. On calcareous loam and Terra fusca, fuller, fruitier wines with gentle acidity develop, with mango and apricot notes and smoky tones; for this, sufficient ripeness is required.
Name history
The name of the wine-growing site refers to the former ownership of the Johannis monastery. The documented historical connection reports of a monastic community established around 1100 by a Mainz archbishop, whose basilica was dedicated to John the Baptist.
